New Research Reveals Gmail is Growing in Popularity

New analytics reveal that just five years after its launch Gmail for business is poised to be more popular than Microsoft Outlook, say QueryClick.

Recent research from leading analysts at Gartner, the information technology and research company has revealed that Google’s cloud-based Gmail email for business has become a ‘viable’ alternative to Microsoft’s Outlook. While Microsoft’s Outlook service has traditionally been the email provider of choice for many companies, Gmail’s growing influence within the business sector means that the gap between these two providers is getting smaller, say Queryclick.

Christopher Liversidge, QueryClick’s Managing Director says: “The research from Gartner is really very interesting because it reveals that Gmail is not only a good service for personal emails but also a well-respected email service in what is still a relatively small market. Web-hosted email services account for around 3-4% of the enterprise email market, Gmail’s overall market share currently stands at 1%, which sounds minimal, but is actually quite a large section of the existing market.”

The cloud-based email system that Gmail uses is seen to be much more secure than traditional email systems, and much easier to access remotely, ie from home, work or even on holiday than any other system that’s currently available to users. While Microsoft have recently launched their own cloud-based email, Office 365, a new version of it’s well-known Exchange email server, the gap between these two technical giants could be getting smaller, as the cloud-based technology becomes more popular, say QueryClick.

Chris continues: “While both Microsoft Outlook and Gmail are considered to be very reliable email systems for both personal and commercial use, it is predicted that email services are going to grow over the nest few years, with email services expected to make up 20% of the total market in 2016, and grow to a 55% share by December 2020. This is obviously a prediction, but it’s true that businesses are becoming more reliant on emails as a method of communication, and they will obviously need an excellent email system to help them do that. So, with so much riding on email, both Microsoft and Google are bound to be making more and more updates to their existing systems, which can only be a good thing.”

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Facebook’s Smart Lists to Improve User Experience

Facebook have decided auto-generate relevant content for users, which could help improve the overall user experience, say QueryClick.

Earlier this month, Facebook announced that it was going to improve its lists feature by introducing so-called ‘smart lists’, a new feature which auto-generates lists of updates and contents for users. The update which is already in operation was designed to group together associated pieces of information such as status updates, photographs and links into the correct list, or category, and could help make finding specific information much easier on the site, say QueryClick.

Christopher Liversidge, QueryClick’s Managing Director comments: “The new ‘Smart list’ feature was designed with user comfort in mind because it helps Facebook users in creating special categories or lists on their news feed, based on their information. For example, if a user has put down what school or University they attended, and some of their Facebook friends who went to the same school or University do too, then a Smart List for that very establishment will be created. So , if a user says that they went to Oxford University, and then their friends Bill and Ben also confirm that they studied there, then a smart list called ‘Oxford University’ will be created, with the original user, Bill and Ben all on it.”

All in all, there will be four categories that make up the auto-generated smart lists, namely: Work, School, Family and City, which means that users will be able to streamline their news feed and be able to concentrate on the people and the subjects that mean the most to them on any given day. So if a user wants to try to find an old school friend, all they have to do is go their school’s smart list and scroll through what’s there, which will save time and effort, according to QueryClick.

Chris continues: “The addition of these smart lists will really make it so much easier to find relevant information in Facebook, as everything associated with a certain place, such as a school or a place of work have been handily put together, which means that users will find what they’re searching for quite quickly, when compared to searching for it manually through the site. Users can also choose to add their Facebook friends as either a close friend or an acquaintance to filter content further, and Facebook can even suggest users to add to lists, which not only makes using the site much easier than before, but also a lot more fun.”

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Parents Whose Kids Skip School Should Forfeit Benefits Says DiscountVouchers.co.uk Research

A high percentage of British consumers have told online money saving website DiscountVouchers.co.uk that they feel parents of children who skive off from school should lose their benefits. The website, which helps shoppers save money at more than 800 stores, polled site users on the subject of school truancy.

Of the deals website’s respondents, 78% said they feel that parents should be made to pay by losing full benefits if their children regularly skive off school.

Claire Hayes, Chief Operations Officer at DiscountVouchers.co.uk, says: “The UK’s education sector has always been a source of pride and provides the workforce of the future. Parents who are allowing their children to miss school are undermining that and so it is understandable that people feel they should be punished for doing so.”

DiscountVouchers.co.uk features more than 500 new voucher codes every day from over 3000 retailers including Marks & Spencer, House of Fraser, Lastminute.com and Sainsbury’s.

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BT Offers Small Businesses A ‘Kickstart’

BT Business has launched a finance scheme offering start-ups the chance to lease up to £15,000 worth of technology and telecommunications solutions. Under the ‘Kick Start Scheme’, in conjunction with Shire Leasing, new businesses trading for under three years will be eligible for funding subject to credit vetting.

BT’s ‘KickStart Scheme’, available through BT Local Business, aims to help small businesses raise funds in a challenging economic climate and to avoid having to rely on bank loans, overdrafts or credit cards.

‘KickStart’ offers start-ups the opportunity to purchase a range of technology and communications products and services including business telephone systemsbusiness mobiles, handsets, connection charges, software licences and IT equipment such as laptops, as well as small business IT support. The scheme is open to all industry types and has very flexible underwriting, aimed at delivering higher acceptance levels for new-start companies. An average £3,000 loan will cost less than £20 per week and can be added to as the business grows.

Declan McGlone, general manager of BT Finance, BT Business said: “The UK has an average of 270,000 start-up businesses every year. In light of the current economic climate we want to help these businesses access the products and services they need to get their new venture up and running. Our ‘KickStart Scheme’ offers finance over a fixed term, at a fixed rate, making it easier for customers to budget.”

One business that has already benefitted from a similar scheme with Shire Leasing is A.I. Global Media Ltd. The publishing company, established in November 2010, needed funding to purchase a technology and communications solution for its eight staff working on a new corporate finance publication.

Jane Peter, director, A.I. Global Media Ltd, said: “When starting out, it was crucial to launch the business in the most cost effective way possible. We needed to install a BT Versatility phone and broadband system, so that staff could work on the magazine straight away, but couldn’t afford any major spend. The leasing scheme allowed us to get the equipment we needed at a fixed rate and also meant we keep what capital we had in the bank to ensure we had some cash flow. This scheme really helped us get our business off the ground and we now have over 53,000 subscribers to our magazine.”

Karina Knudsen, Head of Business Development at the British Chambers of Commerce also welcomed the launch: “The BCC has long called for more support for small businesses. Financing that specifically helps start and grow new ventures will considerably reduce the current credit difficulties that owners face.”

New and existing BT Business customers will be able to take up the ‘KickStart Scheme’ offers as long as they have been trading for under three years, subject to a credit check. For more information about ‘KickStart’ and other BT products and services, interested parties can contact BT Local Business at www.btlocalbusiness.co.uk.

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findmypast.ie Launches Online Irish Family History Forums

findmypast.ie has announced the launch of one of the first online forums solely dedicated to those researching their Irish family history. The forum is an online community for the Irish diaspora to discuss everything from researching Irish family history and Irish geography, to success stories and what it means to be Irish. Free to all registered users, it represents the findmypast family’s first foray into community based chat.

Recognising the inherent difficulties involved in looking for Irish ancestors, the forum gives amateur and professional family historians alike the opportunity to ask their questions to like-minded researchers across the globe. This will enable members to benefit from the experience gained from those who have previously hit brick walls in their research and overcome them.

Brian Donovan of findmypast Ireland and long-time member of the Irish genealogy community commented: “The findmypast.ie forum is another indication of findmypast’s dedication to providing the world’s best platform for researching your Irish family history. I wish there had been an option like this available to me when I first started in genealogy.”

The forums are divided into six different message boards, and any registered user can start a new discussion on the boards. It also allows users to add responses to topics which have already been posted by other users. The six message board topics include General Discussion, Using the Records, Tracing Specific Ancestors, Places and Geography in Ireland, Your Finds and Success Stories and What Does it Mean to be Irish?

The forum on findmypast.ie allows users to keep track of discussions and posts they’ve created or contributed to, which enables them to keep up with any discussions they are involved in. Users can also watch discussions which interest them but they are not involved in so that they can go back and read it at any time.

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TrustTone Communications Appliances – Voted BEST BUY for Email Encryption

TrustTone Communications, Inc., the leader in Email Encryption technology, today announced it has been rated Best Buy by SC Magazine. The Best Buy designation reflects the coveted Five Star rating for every aspect of the product – Features, Ease of Use, Performance, Documentation, Support and Value for Money. TrustTone continues to provide the most comprehensive feature set at the lowest cost.

“Simple, effective, secure. This is just what this doctor ordered.” notes SC Magazine.

“TrustTone is the perfect solution for email privacy compliance for organization large and small. The product offers depth of functionality and configuration flexibility with very low total cost of ownership,” said Hemant Thakkar, CEO of TrustTone Communications. “We are thrilled to earn the Best Buy designation by SC Magazinne. It validates our approach to creating value for our customers.”

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Players remain unaware that 45% of online casino and gambling sites hold operating licenses not issued within the UK’s ‘whitelisted’ jurisdictions.

With players creating around 5 million new casino and online gambling accounts each year, the public remain unaware of risks associated with insufficient licensing and regulation.

The UK Gambling Commission maintains a ‘whitelist’ of countries which provide satisfactory regulation for online gaming licenses. If a casino does not have a license from one of these whitelisted jurisdictions then it is not allowed to advertise within the UK – but that does not prevent UK citizens from finding and joining these potentially risky sites.

Over 1,100 online gaming sites operate with licenses issued by whitelisted jurisdictions. This includes licenses from locations such as Gibraltar, Malta and Alderney, all of which the UK Gambling Commission considers to have sufficient regulation for player protection.

Over 900 casino and wagering sites, around 45% of the total, continue to hold licenses issued outside of the safe jurisdictions whitelisted by the Commission. These jurisdictions tend to have insufficient regulation, and lack satisfactory methods for mediation and resolution of players’ problems. Countless gambling sites are also operating with absolutely no license and a complete lack of regulation.

One newly launched website – www.Top20CasinoReviews.co.uk – aims to help UK players discover the safest online gaming sites.

“People usually have no idea if a casino has a license from a country approved by the UK Gambling Commission,” said Philip Jones, manager of Top 20 Casino Reviews UK. “With literally thousands of casino websites available to UK players, the new resource is dedicated to providing players with only the most reliable licensed casino information.”

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Plusnet Finds Out What Customers Really Want

Price, customer service and easy set-up – these are the three most important factors consumers use to help them choose a broadband package, according to a new survey from Yorkshire-based broadband supplier Plusnet.

Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) said price is the most important factor when choosing a home phone and broadband supplier. With this in mind, Plusnet is currently offering up to half price broadband for 12 months when new customers take its home phone service.

Additionally, 12 per cent said they would make a decision based on customer service and, finally, one in ten of those surveyed said the ease of setting up to a new service was the most important factor in choosing their provider.

Jamie Ford, CEO of Plusnet, said: “To many households, phone and broadband has become as important as gas and electricity. It is clear that people want a service that is value for money and at the same time easy to use. At Plusnet, we strive to give customers what they want; an honest, straightforward service at seriously competitive prices. In fact, if you find a better price for standalone broadband, we’ll match it.”

This month Plusnet will launch a new 0345 customer services telephone number, alongside their current 0800 offering. This means that not only can customers call free from UK landlines on 0800 432 0200, but the new 03451 400 200 number will be charged at normal landline rates and so can be deducted from inclusive minutes on a mobile phone plan.

For more information on Plusnet home phone and broadband, go to www.plus.net.

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Findmypast.co.uk’s Merchant Navy Archives Reveal Photos Of UK ‘s Forgotten ‘Fourth Service’

Findmypast.co.uk has announced one million 20th century Merchant Navy Seamen records are now online for the first time ever.

The launch saw records of crew members of UK merchant ships from 1918 to 1941 made available online, including rarely seen photos of the mariners. This is the first time that many relatives will be able to see what their seafaring ancestor looked like and also learn more about the people who made up Churchill’s ‘fourth service’.

However, when asked what the Merchant Navy was, 54% of the British population couldn’t answer correctly, even though almost 90% have heard of them. This is a sad fact considering the Merchant Navy was integral to putting Britain on the trade and industry world map and were named by Churchill as Britain’s ‘fourth service’.

The navy records provide fascinating details about each individual mariner. The most complete records have extremely detailed descriptions, including hair and eye colour, height, and distinguishing marks such as tattoos.

The shocking gap in Britain’s general knowledge is highest amongst the younger generation – just 26% of those aged under 35 know what the Merchant Navy is, compared to a wiser 64% of over 55s. Many will therefore be surprised to learn that the Merchant Navy consists of all seagoing UK vessels with commercial interests and their crews.

So it may be a shock to many that at various points in the last millennium, Britain had the largest merchant fleet in the world. The workforce on these vessels was a casual, ‘jobbing workforce’ so in any one year as many as 1.5 million people could be employed in the Merchant Navy, meaning many people are likely to find ancestors in these records.

Debra Chatfield, Marketing Manager at findmypast.co.uk, commented: “This is the first time the UK Merchant Navy Seamen records, with their fascinating images of the mariners, have been made available online. Many people aren’t sure what the Merchant Navy is, even though a large proportion of the UK population will have Merchant Navy seamen in their ancestry. Hopefully these records will help fill the gaps and people will enjoy learning about what life was like for the brave, seafaring merchants who helped the island nation of Britain prosper.”

The Merchant Navy Seamen records are the only set of their kind available online and have been published in association with The National Archives. The military records show that the seamen who made up the Merchant Navy not only came from the UK, but from every continent, with large numbers from across the English-speaking world (notably the Maritime provinces of Canada), from the West Indies and Sierra Leone, and from Scandinavia, Somaliland, China and Japan. There are even some seamen from landlocked Switzerland.

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Cycleharmony.com Announces Release Of Mood, PMS Symptom & Lifestyle Tracker

Most people know that unhealthy lifestyles are the cause of many of their personal challenges in life, from being overweight to chronic fatigue to PMS/PMDD symptoms, just to name a few – challenges which can determine the very quality of their lives.

Yet few succeed in breaking free of these unhealthy lifestyles. Why?

According to Jing Jin, the founder of cycleharmony.com , “It’s because they’ve taken on an impossible task. An unhealthy lifestyle is almost impossible to break because it takes vigilance and an energy that few of us have. Think about the chocoholic who has to resist the temptation to eat a chocolate bar every minute of every waking hour. Talk about exhausting!

“If you want to break a bad habit, the key is not to focus on getting rid of it, but to develop a new healthier habit to replace it.

“I suffered from PMS and severe mood swings for years, and was in a lot of pain. It took a serious toll on the quality of my life and relationships. I wondered if what I was suffering from was rare, if I was alone – or if I was just crazy. I was neither, but I didn’t realize any of this until I made the decision to tackle the issue head-on. Now I’m living a happy, fulfilled life.

“The first big difference-maker for me was the series of small rituals I incorporated into my life – self-care routines including a balanced diet, regular exercise, sufficient rest and recovery, and better stress management. I believe most women can turn their situations around, whether they’re suffering from PMS/PMDD, depression, mood swings, fatigue or weight issues, by incrementally adding healthier routines to their lives. And it’s not a daunting task – if you know how to make them work for you effectively.”

That’s the reason Jing Jin founded cycleharmony.com, to share what she’s learned on her journey and help women discover their own PMS relief to create healthier, happier and more fulfilling lives. She also created a simple, intuitive and easy-to-use online tool called the Mood, PMS Symptom & Lifestyle Tracker to help women track their lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, sleep, stress and self-love, and monitor how these factors affect their moods, energy level, sex drive and PMS/PMDD symptoms. A simplified version of this tool is also available as an iPhone app called Mood Runner.

“It’s a great tool for anyone who wants to create a healthier and more balanced lifestyle,” says Jing. “If I can do it, you can do it too. The most important thing is to believe that you can accomplish whatever you set out to do. Because you truly can – if it’s really important to you.”

For more details, please visit

http://www.cycleharmony.com
www.facebook.com/cycleharmony
www.twitter.com/cycleharmony

Video 1 – Jing’s Personal Battle with PMS and Three Steps to PMS Relief http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=Bya8CQqWLFw

Video 2 – PMS/PMDD Assessment; Mood, Lifestyle, Period & PMS Trackers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU5agAcisAg&feature=player_profilepage

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LBi & bigmouthmedia Publish A Christmas Countdown

To help retailers effectively plan for the Christmas spike in trade, which typically accounts for around 20-30% of the industry’s annual sales, global digital marketing and technology agency LBi and its media arm bigmouthmedia have published ‘A Christmas Countdown: Getting your online business ready for the holiday season’, a joint insight document which provides best practice advice and recommendations on how to plan and execute an effective Christmas ecommerce strategy.

The agency, which works with clients including Boots, Cath Kidston and Play.com, has developed a detailed month-by-month timeline packed with advice on how to best utilise online channels in the run up to the festive season.

Phil Gripton, MD at LBi and bigmouthmedia, said: “Last December there were 2.1 billion UK visits to online retail websites in the UK, with 44% of Britain’s online adult population spending more online than in the previous year, pushing the total value of online purchases to £2.8bn. This was in spite of the gloomy economic situation. The Christmas period is therefore vital to the health of a retailer’s bottom line, and with the digital media landscape constantly evolving, it’s important that retailers embrace the latest trends and techniques, which are featured in our insight document.

“We will continue to help our clients maximise their potential in the peak periods through challenging plans and assumptions, bringing the best practice and ideas to the activity and pushing hard to maximise opportunities. It’s an exciting time to work with our retail clients and our guys love the thrill of it.”

To download the full A Christmas Countdown report visit http://www.bigmouthmedia.com/brains/.

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Fasthosts Warns Small Firms Not To Spam Their Customers

Fasthosts Internet Ltd, a leading web hosting provider, has warned UK businesses not to spam their customers with unsolicited newsletters and marketing emails.

Over the past year, the company has seen an 88 per cent rise in the number of spam reports it has received, most commonly where consumers have reported business customers for allegedly sending spam to them. The data lends weight to the theory that the challenging economy and increasingly competitive online marketplace has perhaps led more small firms to cut corners with their email communication. The company recommends that small companies take necessary steps to ensure that emails are only sent to the right recipients who have opted-in to receive them.

As more UK firms are adopting email marketing as a valuable sales and communication channel, it would appear that the problem of business-related spam is escalating. According to Fasthosts, from June 2010 to June 2011 the company has received 88 per cent more reports from the public regarding genuine businesses who they believe have sent them unsolicited and unwanted emails. A proportion of cases required investigation and/or action by the provider such as a warning or locking of the relevant email account. In most cases, Fasthosts needed only to provide best practice email advice to the relevant business.

Stephen Holford, Marketing Director, Fasthosts Internet, said: “In a tough economy, small businesses may be tempted to be more aggressive with the frequency of mailings, or begin to take for granted their right to email a contact base. Every firm must respect the value that consumers place on their Inbox, and take the proper measures to ensure they use email professionally and ethically.”

Internet Psychologist Graham Jones said: “Unwanted email is a major issue which causes frustration, annoyance and stress. If a business emails people without paying proper attention to opt-in systems they can expect increased negativity from their customers and their prospects. And with the ease with which people can complain about companies on social networks, there is the obvious potential for reputational damage too.”

Jones added: “When people are asked to define spam they simply talk about emails they did not request – no matter who those messages come from. Many businesses think they are merely doing ’email marketing’ but their customers actually think they are spamming. There is a clear difference in thinking between many businesses and their customers – and that is bad for reputation and revenue.”

Whilst still rare, it is possible for businesses to become involved in the distribution of spam without even realising. Problems can arise as a result of their email becoming compromised locally, commonly through a virus or Trojan on their hardware such as a PC. It is vital that all businesses they keep mailboxes secure and regularly update passwords to minimise the risk of exploitation of their domain or mail servers.

Holford added: “Whilst spam is not new, the damage that it can do to business reputation and customer loyalty should definitely be cause for thought. The more responsibility a company shows towards their use of email, the more credible and rewarding email marketing will become as a channel.”

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Foreign Translations, Inc. Launches foreignstaffing.com

Foreign Staffing, Inc. is pleased to announce the launch of our new service and website (www.foreignstaffing.com). Using our 13 years of experience in providing translation services to global corporations, Foreign Translations, Inc. www.foreigntranslations.com created Foreign Staffing, Inc., www.foreignstaffing.com, a bilingual staffing and recruiting firm specializing in the placement of professional bilingual personnel all over the world.

With thousands of bilingual applicants across the globe, Foreign Staffing, Inc. has the foundation, resources, and expertise to locate and place bilingual and multilingual candidates anywhere and everywhere. According to CEO Ken Zwerdling,“There are far too many people skilled in foreign languages who are not utilizing them in the work place. We help applicants combine their professional and bilingual skills to find the perfect job anywhere in the country or around the world”. In addition, Zwerdling says, “We service companies with simple to diverse international demands, for example, those that may require German engineers in Chicago, Chinese Human Resources executives in Los Angeles, or even French lawyers in Boston.

The need for employees with foreign language skills is becoming a vital tool for almost any entity, from the most recognized of global businesses all the way to individual local companies. Foreign Staffing, Inc. is committed to assisting large-scale bilingual and multilingual communities as well as individuals find the opportunities where their skills will be utilized and appreciated. Because we value these skills, we are dedicated to matching applicants who have proven language and professional skills with the best permanent opportunities.

The new website has many features to help job seekers in search of job opportunities as well as help employers understand how we will fill their needs. Job seekers can view and apply for current jobs in various industries or register for future job openings.

CEO Ken Zwerdling says, “We are living in a global world. When job seekers are able to combine their language and professional skills they are infinitely more marketable in this very tough job market. And, more than ever before, employers are doing business around the globe and need employees with specific language skills”.

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Worldwide Roaming Information A Fraction Of The Usual Cost Thanks To Abroadband

Abroadband have become one of the few operators who offer roaming broadband at extremely low rates when compared to well known providers. Users can gain access to the internet for only €0.59 per megabyte. This flat rate global data roaming service has attracted many travellers to change their sim card when abroad. Until worldwide regulation is introduced to force other providers to lower their prices, abroadband will march ahead and gain more custom.

The operator began life earlier this year and looks set to post a healthy profit come the end of 2011. Abroadband was launched by Austrian telecoms giant ‘Telekoms Austria’. The idea was in response to the many complaints by travellers fed up with high data charges when using the internet abroad – hence the name ‘abroadband’. From the get go the service has been designed to counter ever increasing charges on roaming rates imposed by many other operators.

A revealing article that was published by the online magazine ZDnet in March this year showed that the reasons behind high data charges are simply down to profit. As many operators tend to offer many deals and bolt-ons in the domestic markets, many tend to take advantage of the unregulated roaming sector to gain back money. The reaction to this has led to new regulations being introduced in Europe that impose a cap on the amount of data customers can use in a month when travelling. This only applies to countries throughout the EU and abroadband offer their flat rate outside of Europe. So far the service extends to over 50 countries world wide and there are plans to increase this to more by the end of 2011 and into 2012.

Negative reaction to roaming rates outside of Europe has led to calls for other continents and countries to impose caps on other operators to force them to reduce their data charges. Abroadband has already left the competition behind though. The flat rate service is not the only benefit they offer customers. Being aware of the different ways people access the internet, the operator has offered three simple options to meet all connection needs. A worldsim card, a micro sim card and a dongle are all available on initial subscription to the service. With business travel on the increase, dongles and micro sims are becoming more popular. The BBC recently published a report on their website illustrating the different ways people are using to avoid roaming headaches when travelling (source: BBC). Abroadband have taken these methods into consideration and have acted accordingly on their website allowing customers access to connection options to suit their needs.

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Retail deals site announces doubling of subscribers in just past nine months

DiscountVouchers.co.uk, the retail deals site which is home to offers redeemable at over 800 top name stores, this week announces that it has burst through the 5 million subscriber barrier. The site has reached more than 5.2 million registered users, up double on its level just nine months ago.

The dedicated money saving website now also enjoys a massive amount of visitors to its site per day – more than 150,000 – and its database is also expanding by around 10,000 new registered users each day.

Managing director Doug Scott says: “We’re delighted to report these growth rates they really are phenomenal. Furthermore we’ve found that the 5.2 million site users don’t just come to us for the latest retail offers, they spend time on the site and then they come back on a regular basis for more as well.”

Since launching in 2009 the site has helped customers save over £3.8 million and has generated revenues in excess of £25 million in the 12 months to August 2011. The site features more than 500 new deals every day from over 3000 retailers including Marks&Spencer, House of Fraser, Lastminute.com and Sainsbury’s.

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OutsourceMyProject Welcomes Increased Demand For Flexible Staffing

Marketplace outsourcing service OutsourceMyProject has welcomed news that there is an increasing demand from employers for freelance and contract workers. The company has also affirmed the quality that an effectively outsourced task can bring to a project.

Last month’s employer survey by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), titled JobsOutlook, revealed that the tentative UK economy has discouraged permanent employment and led more business owners to seek freelance, contract and temporary workers.

According to the report, 83 per cent of employers said that their use of temporary workers will rise or remain the same during the next year; and four out of five of them expect an increase within the next three months.

Only 49 per cent expect to add to their permanent workforce within the next 12 months, compared to 66 per cent in the previous month; while short-term permanent recruitment expectations stand at 67 per cent, compared to 74 per cent previously.

Loren Holland, managing director of OutsourceMyProject, said: “These figures show that employers are waking up to the wealth of flexible human resources available to them.

“Rather than take on new staff on a long-term or full-time basis, specific projects can be completed by sourcing people with exactly the right skills and experience for each task.

“Whether a business is large or small, or even if someone working alone is looking for one-off assistance with a particular project, it is possible to find a freelancer to offer invaluable support.”

OutsourceMyProject is based in the UK and helps match businesses from a range of sectors to the right service providers, from freelance web designers to freelance SEO experts.

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Increasing Number Of UK Businesses Appreciating The Benefits Of Outsourcing

An increasing number of businesses in Britain are recognising how the financial benefits and specialist expertise linked to outsourcing can help their firms grow, according to the results of a new survey.

Research carried out by leading outsourcing marketplace OutsourceMyProject.com found that 72 per cent of businesses asked said they had either already outsourced services to specialist providers, or would consider doing so in the future.

In addition, two-thirds of respondents said in the current financial climate they were more likely to outsource specific projects or business functions as the need arose, rather than recruit a full-time member of staff.

OutsourceMyProject helps bring together businesses from all sectors and match them with a huge range of service providers, from freelance writers to freelance SEO experts. Co-founder Loren Holland said the recession has made many firms take stock and make positive moves to ensure their companies become more efficient and cut wastage, while retaining the experience and skills of valuable employees.

He said: “The results of the survey show that more companies now look to find a freelancer to outsourcing work to when those skills are not available in-house and this can lead to considerable cost savings. We expect to see a continuation of this trend as more firms look to rationalise their operations and increase efficiency.”

The majority of businesses that said they do not currently outsource work pointed to a lack of confidence in the skills, qualifications or experience of providers as the main reason for not doing so.

Loren added: “It’s completely understandable that companies want to know exactly who they are bringing onboard and that the professional they choose can be relied upon to complete the project on time and to an agreed standard. By going through OutsourceMyProject.com firms put themselves in a position to receive genuine tenders from experienced professionals.

“In addition, the website’s transparent feedback and rating system means both parties can draw on the experience of others before entering into an agreement.”

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Plusnet Reveals Half Of Customers Want Businesses To Provide Wi-Fi

A Plusnet Business survey* has revealed that the average Brit spends ten hours a day being connected to the Internet. The study demonstrates how the demand for Internet access has increased, with almost a quarter (24%) of people saying that they need it to be able to update people should anything happen.

Small businesses need to take note that almost half (49%) of respondents said Internet access, provided by businesses, is needed in public areas. Over 40% of respondents in the North West, Northern Ireland, Scotland, London and Wales say that having access to Wi-Fi is a deal-breaker when deciding on a hotel, showing how much this can affect a business’ bottom line.

This study by Plusnet Business has uncovered how much of an impact a decent wireless internet connection for customer use can bring to many sectors, with almost a fifth saying they will purposely choose a restaurant (17%), bar (17%), pub (17%), and shopping centre (18%), over one without it.

For nearly a third of respondents (29%), regular access isn’t good enough, they have to be constantly connected and can’t even queue or take a short journey without entertaining themselves online. Well over a third (46%) of respondents in London admitted that they needed to be connected to the Internet all the time, to stop the boredom of having to queue.

Talking about the survey, Nick Silverwood, Head of Business, Plusnet said: “Through the Plusnet Business survey we can see that installing something as simple as free Wi-Fi for customers can help generate repeat custom and definition within a market. With increased competition in the hospitality and retail markets, it’s important for small businesses to understand how investing in customer broadband has the potential to really boost sales. With over one in ten (12%)** respondents estimating that 21-30% of their profit is down to a fast and reliable Internet connection, there is a clear benefit to getting online.”

Plusnet has been successfully delivering high-quality, well-supported business broadband and connectivity products for over 10 years. For more information call 0114 296 5182 or go to www.plus.net/business.

Via EPR Network
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Swoon.co.uk Reveals Brits Have Lost Their Romantic Spark

Swoon.co.uk has revealed that, when it comes to marriage proposals, Britain has lost its romantic spark. Nearly half (45%) of males spend less than a few days planning their proposal with only in five (21%) getting down on one knee.

Latest research from Swoon shows that Brits are happy to have a simple, spontaneous proposal in the comfort of their own home but when given the option to turn back time, less than one in three thought that their proposal was perfect.

Gone are the days of Hollywood-inspired romantic proposals in sunny climes – instead of whisking their partner abroad for a romantic getaway, 68% of males proposed in their home. It’s just as well that women have low expectations with only 15% of women wanting their partner to propose to them whilst on holiday.

Commentating on the results, Harley Street relationship therapist and life coach, Trevor Silvester, said: “I think several things might be going on here: the first is that the recession is probably having an effect on people’s aspirations. In times where money is tight we’ll tend to lower our dreams a little and look to find the romance through some other, cheaper, means. I suspect the money that would have been spent on setting the perfect scene for the proposal is instead going towards the cost of the wedding, the honeymoon, or the means to move in together.”

Results have further shown that the excitement of the actual proposal has disappeared with three out of five males (63%) not planning to propose on one knee. Surprisingly the latest statistics show that men and women have similar ideas with only one out of three women (30%) actually wanting their partner to get down on one knee.

Trevor Silvester said: “I am pleased to see that getting down on one knee is losing popularity, because it means fewer people are opting for the obvious and actually doing it in a way that feels right for them. My advice to anyone would be that the location is less important than the timing. Pop the question when the mood is perfect and it’ll become a romantic and unforgettable memory.”

Many women are now taking it upon themselves to pop the question. Statistics show that when British women propose it is impulsive with four out of five women (83%) proposing with less than a month’s planning and over half (53%) of those proposing spontaneously. Whilst they have broken tradition by proposing, three out of four women (75%) hoped that their partner had beaten them to do it.

Silvester says: “It’s great that more women are proposing – and I think the spontaneity of their decision shows that in many cases the emotion of the moment needs be strong enough to overcome the social conditioning that says it’s the man’s job. In my opinion, if we’re looking for partnerships to be equal, why shouldn’t the onus on who asks who be spread equally too? I think many men would love for that to happen. Certainly I would have done.”

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Plusnet Log On As Four Nations Sponsors

The RFL has agreed a deal with Plusnet, the telecommunications company, that will see the internet provider become the official broadband partner of the 2011 Gillette Four Nations.

The partnership will see leading England players feature in the UK broadband provider’s creative marketing campaign both before and during the tournament, which also involves Wales, Australia and world champions, New Zealand.

To mark its first international sporting partnership, the Sheffield-based company has offered new customers a pair of tickets to a Four Nations game of their choice, up to a value of £90, and a month’s free broadband when they sign-up to 12 months broadband and home phone. Further details can be found at www.plus.net/fournations.

“I am delighted to confirm that Plusnet has agreed to become a partner of the 2011 Gillette Four Nations and am looking forward to working closely with them Plusnet over the coming months,” said the RFL’s Commercial Director Paul Kimberley.

“Our partnership will see Plusnet’s branding feature prominently at all the Four Nations fixtures, including the eagerly-anticipated double-header at Wembley Stadium on Saturday November 5, and become heavily involved with some proactive promotion involving our England stars.

“Plusnet has quickly established itself as a company with clear customer-led focus making it a perfect fit with Rugby League’s own philosophies.”

Plusnet has recently been named a recommended provided by Which? magazine and won the uSwitch 2011 Best Customer Service Award. It is currently running a successful high profile television advertising campaign.

Nick Rawlings, Plusnet’s Commercial and Marketing Director, said: “This is a great opportunity for Plusnet to make its international debut in sporting sponsorship.

“We will be utilising the deal in a number of ways to reward both new and existing customers.”

Via EPR Network
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